Uttar Pradesh Affairs
The Uttar Pradesh government is contemplating setting up manufacturing and logistics clusters spread over 600 hectares alongside the expressways. UP has the longest network of expressways in the country.
MOUs for these proposed clusters, to be set up at the cost of Rs 10 lakh crore, were signed during the UP Global Investors Summit earlier this year in Lucknow.
The proposed mega clusters will come up around Purvanchal and Bundelkhand expressways apart from the Gorakhpur Link Expressway. The government has identified 600 hectares of land in six districts Barabanki, Ghazipur, Jaunpur, Gorakhpur, Banda, and Jalaun.
Of the total proposals of Rs 35 lakh crore, Purvanchal (Eastern UP) and Bundelkhand regions hold a share of Rs 9.54 lakh crore and Rs 4.27 lakh crore, respectively. They collectively account for almost 40 per cent of the total value of the MoU.
Since investors need large swathes of land to set up manufacturing units or for Warehousing and Logistics needs, the state is moving fast to ramp up the land bank for allotment to companies.
National and International Affairs
Indias Union Railway Minister,Ashwini Vaishnaw, has shared a timelapse video showcasing the construction of the Anji Khad Bridge, the countrys first cable-stayed rail bridge.With a total of 96 cables spanning a length of 653km, the bridge is part of the challengingUdampur-Srinagar-Baramulla-Rail Link (USBRL)Project in the Reasi district ofJammu and Kashmir.
The Anji Khad Bridge is supported by a single main pylon standing at a height of 331 meters above the river bed, with a height of 193 meters from the top of the foundation.
With 48 GI-tagged goods to itscredit, UP is now 2nd in country
Uttar Pradeshhas achieved the second position nationally in terms of having the maximum number of Geographical Indication-tagged goods after receiving GI tags for three more ODOP crafts Mainpuri tarkashi,Mahoba Gaurastone craft, and Sambhal horn craft with the technical facilitation provided by the Varanasi-based NGO Human Welfare Association (HWA).
Naduhas maximum 55 GI-tagged goods while UP and Karnataka have 48 and 46 GI products, respectively. However, UP is first in terms of GI-tagged handicrafts with 36 crafts to its credit.
Currently Tamil Nadu has maximum 55 GI-tagged goods while UP and Karnataka have 48 and 46 Gi products, respectively. Among the 48 GI goods of UP, 36 products belong to the handicraft category. In Varanasi region alone, 18 GI-tagged goods out of 23 belong to the handicraft category.